Smoked Pork Loin Recipe
Cooked on a Meadow Creek PR60T Pig Roaster
In this blog post you'll get my illustrated step-by-step instructions for smoking pork loin that's tender, juicy, and delicious—without complicated steps. I'm using my Meadow Creek PR60T Pig Roaster for this recipe.
In this blog post, I'm sharing my smoked pork loin recipe cooked on a Meadow Creek Pig Roaster. Whether you're looking for tips on how to smoke a pork loin or you're in the market for a quality handmade smoker that is versatile, affordable, and perfect for feeding small crowds, you'll want to keep reading...
The Meadow Creek PR60T is perfect for traveling and cooking on-site, but it's also a sweet smoker for backyard and patio use. Even though the PR series was originally designed as whole pig roasters, they do an exceptional job as low and slow smokers too. A few things I appreciate about this cooker is the working height, how steady it is to operate, and how fuel efficient it is for the amount of space it has.
I used 30 pounds of Royal Oak Chef's Select 100% hardwood briquettes and it was more than enough to do this entire cook at 225 degrees F. I could have added the second grate to nearly double the cooking surface and get even more out of it.
More Stories About the PR60T
The Method
There are many ways to cook a pork loin. You could mix up an aromatic herb paste to rub it with or inject it to boost the flavor. For this recipe, I'm keeping it very simple because sometimes I enjoy fantastic results and easy methods.
Step 1: Remove the loins from the package and cut them in half. This is simply preference, but the meat will cook a little faster this way and it lets you remove each half when it reaches the target temperature.
Step 2: Trim off any excess fat and loose meat. A thin layer of fat helps to keep the meat more juicy, but you don't want more than 1/4" on the surface of the meat.
Step 3: Season the entire loin with your favorite rub for pork. My favorite one is Meadow Creek Black Pepper Brisket Rub.
Step 4: Smoke the meat at 225 degrees F until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145 degrees F. It's normal for one part of a piece to be hotter than the rest, so check the center of the loin in 2 or 3 places to make sure it's at least within several degrees of 145. Be very careful not to overcook the loin because it will dry out quickly.
Step 5: Transfer the loin to a clean meat lug or pan that will contain the juices that run out of the meat. When you're ready to serve the meat, slice and serve it with the sides of your choice.
Delicious Tip: If a bunch of juice runs out of the loins, cool the juice, spoon the grease off of the top, then warm the remaining liquid to pour over the slices as you serve them. This is liquid gold!
This pork loin was a success and it tasted as good as it looked—tender, juicy, and delicious.
If you’re looking for a versatile charcoal-fired smoker that holds a bunch of meat and is easy to use, you've got to check out the PR series. Their design is straightforward and we offer a few upgrades to make them extremely versatile.
“There is no force in the world as we know it that would make me give up my PR60T. I do a lot of cooking and it has never let me down! I don’t endorse many things but, I would gladly suggest this or any other Meadow Creek cooker to someone who really wants the best meat ever cooked.”
- Wade Janes, Wild Wade’s BBQ -
Firing the PR60T
For this recipe, I’m using my Meadow Creek PR60T Pig Roaster fired with 30 pounds of Royal Oak 100% hardwood charcoal briquettes and a few chunks of pecan wood. My target temperature was 225 degrees F.
Step 1: Remove the cooking grate and drip pan. Spread 100% hardwood charcoal briquettes and smoking wood in the bottom of the roaster. The amount of charcoal you use will depend on the outside temperature and how long the cook will take. For example, 80 pounds of Royal Oak Chef's Select 100% hardwood briquettes should be enough to last 14–16 hours. In this 4-hour cook, 30 pounds of charcoal was plenty.
Step 2: Light the charcoal in both ends with a propane torch. Leave the lid open for a few minutes to let the charcoal get well lit.
Step 3: Replace the drip pan and cooking grate and close the lid with the top and bottom vents open all the way.
Step 4: Once the roaster gets within 15 degrees of your target temperature, close both bottom sliding vents to 1" open. If you have a pullout with the round vents on one end, close those vents to the halfway open position. If the roaster temperature rises above your target temperature, adjust the top vents a little bit at a time to stabilize and maintain the target temperature. Start by adjusting one top vent on each end to the 3/4 open position. A little adjustment on the top vents makes a big difference.
If you are not able to get the smoker hot enough, just open the lid for 5–10 minutes to let the fire get more established. If you are running too hot, try to keep the lid closed as much as possible.
As a rule, running this cooker is a piece of cake, and if you add enough fuel for the length of your cook, usually you won't need to mess with the fire once it's up and running. However, I highly recommend the optional charcoal pull-out in case you need to stoke the fire or add/remove charcoal or wood.
With a Flame Boss or Other Temperature Controller: After lighting the charcoal, clip the temperature probe onto the cooking grate and close the lid with the vents open all the way, just as you would when firing it without the Flame Boss. When the roaster gets within 15 degrees of your target temperature, hook up the Flame Boss, and close all the vents. Set the Flame Boss to your target temperature and let the Flame Boss handle it from there. (A Meadow Creek pig roaster requires two Flame Boss fans.)
PR ready to fire
30 pounds of charcoal briquettes in the charcoal pullout
Lighting the charcoal on the left
Lighting the charcoal on the right
The charcoal vent at an angle with the wider section of charcoal at each end light.
Wood added, the drip pan and cooking grate replaced, and the vents adjusted
Prepping the Meat
Whole pork loins from Sam's Club
Optional: Cutting them in half
Trimming the fat
Ready for seasoning
Seasoning the meat with Meadow Creek Black Pepper Brisket Rub
Sweating and ready for the smoker
Enjoy these photos of the pork loins on the PR60T Pig Roaster...
Nice color developing
Savory rub and a hint of smoke
The standard grate has plenty of room for the 12 halves.
Finished product
Isn't this beautiful?
Have a taste!
Click here to browse more photos, features, and specs on our PR series roasters. Choose a model and then click on "customize" to see available upgrades and suggested retail prices:
